Among Snakes, Of Snakes
by Deadly Blades
Summary: During the summer of fifth year Harry is resorted and finds himself being sorted into Slytherin. He must now survive his fellow snakes and attempt to make a place for himself where he doesn't belong. Harry will be tested as he tries to maintain contact with his old friends and establish bonds with new friends, as well as enduring the typical fifth year challenges thrown at him.


**This is my first fanfic and I hope you guys like it.**

"Sorry to have interrupted your Summer holidays Harry. I shall have you back at Grimmauld Place as soon as I can," Albus Dumbledore said cheerfully as the two arrived in his office via side-along apparation.

"Why am I here Professor?" fifteen year old Harry Potter asked, pale faced and clutching the nearby seat to balance himself from the dizzying mean of travel.

"All in due time. Take a seat. Lemon drop?" offered Dumbledore as he sat in his own luxurious chair behind the desk. He continued once Harry sat opposite him. "Allow me to wish you a belated birthday Harry, I had some unsavoury business with the Ministry to handle and was unfortunately unable to make it yesterday. From what I heard from Mrs Weasley there was quite a feast."

"Well you know Mrs Weasley, always outdoing herself," Harry responded politely.

"Indeed," Dumbledore chuckled. "I suppose we should get to business," he added as he pulled something out of the drawer in the desk. The tattered fabric gave a groan as it entered the light.

"The Sorting Hat?" Harry questioned.

"You'll understand. Do you know exactly how Barty Crouch Jr was able to enter your name in the Goblet of Fire last year?"

"Not quite Professor. Hermione always guessed that I was entered as part of a fourth school."

"I would expect nothing less from Ms Granger. Two Hogwarts students could not compete together in the same Tri-Wizard Tournament as long as the Goblet of Fire is choosing our champions. The only way to bypass this is for a student to be registered to a different school, hence how your name was accepted. But you must understand that the Goblet is a very powerful magic object, so to allow for a student to be listed as attending one school it would have to be removed from the attendance lists of any other schools."

"Professor, are you saying that I am not attending Hogwarts anymore?" Harry questioned, looking around anxiously.

"Goodness no Harry. Although I can see how you would get that idea, you are still welcome at Hogwarts this and hopefully all of your remaining years of education. It was a simple matter of writing your name back on our lists," Dumbledore finished with a smile.

"Then why the sorting hat? Do I need to be sorted again?"

"Quite astute of you Harry. Yes, in order to attend Hogwarts this year you need to be sorted."

"But why? I mean I was able to stay in Gryffindor all year after my name came out of the cup. And even if I have to be sorted, why not have me do it with the first years?"

"Well you were able to stay in Gryffindor because you had already been enrolled that year and were allowed to remain. This year however your name was added to the lists and the magic residing in Hogwarts requires for you to be sorted once again. As for why we are conducting the sorting now, that is because we both know that you would rather not do this publicly"

Harry simply nodded in reply whilst staring at the Sorting Hat with a small amount of trepidation.

"Don't worry Harry, it is only a formality," the wizened old wizard said across the desk with a grandfatherly smile. With a resigned sigh, Harry Potter placed the dusty old hat on his head.

* * *

"Mr Potter, fancy meeting you like this again," the Hat spoke in his mind.

"If you don't mind, could we maybe finish this quickly?"

"You young people are so impatient. Don't forget I can see into your mind Mr Potter. I know exactly why this situation worries you so. You fear that you will be sorted into a house other than Gryffindor. I will not lie to you and say that that would not happen. You have changed much since I last saw these thoughts of yours. You are not the innocent child you were. You have seen much darkness. I have no doubt that you would still be a credit to any of the houses. But I can see more clearly than the last time that there is one house in particular in which you truly could shine. You still have plenty of courage but you no longer have the urge to just jump into dangerous situations unaware. Forgive me for this Mr Potter but your mind has proven you to be far too... cunning for anywhere else-"

"NO!" Harry mentally yelled

"Slytherin!"

* * *

Harry Potter gazed out of the window of his locked compartment in the Hogwarts Express. As soon as his best friends Ron and Hermione left for their prefect's meeting he gathered his belongings and moved to an empty compartment, taking as short a time as possible in locking it. The train was close enough to Hogwarts that he should already be in his uniform, but he extremely disliked the idea of the green and silver adorning that attire. He was being childish, he knew that, and was having difficulty agreeing with what Dumbledore had said.

**Flashback**

"_I would not worry if I were you Harry. If you have proven anything to me I your time at Hogwarts, it is that you have the tendency to do the most extraordinary things. I trust that you will be able to handle anything this situation of yours throws at you."_

"_But Professor, me and the Slytherins aren't exactly best friends. Can you imagine me and Malfoy sleeping in the same dorm?" Harry asked incredulously. _

"_I don't think you will have to worry about that Harry. The dungeons are quite a drearily depressing place, wouldn't you agree?" At Harry's apprehensive nod Dumbledore continued "Thankfully for the Slytherins, and now yourself, their dormitories are afforded a bit of extra extravagance to make up for the lack of a tower of their own. One such addition is room for each student. So you see Harry, I don't think sleeping will prove much of an issue."_

"_What about Professor Snape? I really doubt that he would want me 'corrupting' his precious snakes."_

"_Harry," Dumbledore sighed "I know this is an overwhelming and unpleasant situation for you. However, moping over it will do you no good. I believe the muggles would say, 'when life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Alas, I shall have a talk with Severus."_

"_But Professor-?" Harry paused._

"_Yes Harry?"_

"_Can't you... can't you just put me back in Gryffindor?" Harry pleaded._

"_The only way for that to happen would be to remove your name from the Hogwarts student lists and add it again. I think we would agree that doing so would be quite unethical."_

_Harry simply sat in his seat, downtrodden. The silence hung over the office._

"_Do you think we could go back now Professor?" was all he asked. Dumbledore agreed and the two returned to Grimmauld Place."_

**End Flashback**

Harry lamented the loss of his peace and silence as the Hogwarts Express arrived at its destination. He waited in his carriage for all the other students to disembark before changing into his dreaded Slytherin uniform. There was a lone carriage waiting for him once he stood on the platform. As he walked towards it, he noticed a strange form at its front. The skeletal horse startled Harry when he saw it clearly. The horse-like creature made a poor attempt of dodging Harry's hand as he reached out to pat its head. Taking the hint, he stopped trying and entered the carriage.

The ride to the castle seemed to be going way too fast for Harry's liking. He had been avoiding the issue for as long as he possibly could. His contact with Ron and Hermione had been minimal over the past month and he avoided any of their attempts to get him to open up. It wasn't that he didn't want to talk to them, but rather was afraid of the thoughts of losing them that swarmed his head. After the initial meeting in Dumbledore's office he had been called in for a talk a week before school resumed.

**Flashback**

"_You need to tell them Harry," Dumbledore said._

"_Professor, you saw how Ron was last year when my name came out of the Goblet. How he acted. He hates Slytherins more than anyone and now his best mate is one. He will hate me."_

"_Harry, it will be much worse if they found out if they found out from somewhere other than you. Can you imagine how they would feel that you have been keeping it from them?"_

"_But what if I lose them anyway?" Harry asked dejectedly._

"_Then they are not true friends. But fret not Harry. If I know Mr Weasley and Ms Granger half as well as I believe that I do, then they will stand by you. Mr Weasley may need some convincing, but I don't doubt that you could make him come around."_

"_I'll try Professor"_

**End Flashback**

Despite Dumbledore's assurances, he had yet to tell his best friends that he was now a Slytherin. It was not for lack of trying, but his courage always seemed to leave him when the situation presented itself. Perhaps he really didn't belong in Gryffindor anymore. The immense castle that was Hogwarts appeared as the carriage turned the final bend. The once comforting sight seemed oddly cold this time. With a sigh, Harry forced himself up and hopped out of the carriage as it came to a halt. Waiting for him at the entrance was Professor Snape.

"You're long past late Potter" Snape said snidely.

"Sorry Professor" was all Harry said in response. It would not do for him to address Snape as he usually would, considering that he was now his Head of House.

"Don't bother with your insincere apologies Potter. For some reason, impossible to comprehend as it may be, the Sorting Hat has decided to place you in Slytherin. You don't have a cunning bone in your body, only instinct for rash acts of minor courage. Despite any protests I have, unfortunately I am stuck with the tormenting knowledge that you are in my House. Just because you were lucky enough to land yourself in Slytherin, do not expect for any special treatment from me. If you don't prove yourself worthy of being in my House then you will find yourself wishing your life was as easy as the last four. Do I make myself clear?" Snape finished with a bark.

"Yes Professor."

"Good. Now follow me, you have already missed the Sorting."

Harry trailed behind Snape as they made their way to the Great Hall. The two soon found themselves at the incredibly high doors of the Great Hall.

"Good luck Potter," Snape sneered as he pushed open the doors.

* * *

"He's late" Hermione stated worriedly.

"Don't worry about him. There isn't much he can't manage to get himself out of." Ron replied with a mouth full of food.

"That's why I'm worried. You know Harry and trouble; they're bound to find either sooner or later. Although I had hoped it would be a bit later."

"Hermione, look at Dumbledore. If anything bad happened to Harry Dumbledore wouldn't be so calm. Especially with all that stuff about You-Know-Who."

"But Harry has been distant since he went with Dumbledore to Hogwarts. He has barely said more than a few sentences to us in the whole month since then."

"Probably told him something about You-Know-Who or something he did. You know how Harry blames himself for these things."

"I hope you're right Ron. I hope that's all there is to it," she finished as the doors of the Great Hall opened.

* * *

Harry held his breath as Snape led him to the Slytherin table, doing his best to avoid the utterly confused stares directed at him. He sat at the end of table, where Snape pointed, and attempted to discreetly look around the hall. The silence caused by his entry did not last, and soon the hall was filled with excited whispers of gossiping students. A quick glance at Gryffindor table caused him to hurriedly break Hermione and Ron's confused eye contact. At the head of the Slytherin table, at the complete opposite end, Draco and his gang were arguing as quietly as possible. The staff table was less interested, all having heard the news in a staff meeting prior to the student's return. He did see, however, McGonagall give him a small yet sad smile. The toad-like woman from his trial was also up there, although she seemed more disinterested than anyone.

He had just begun eating a small amount of food when a call of "Potter!" interrupted him. He gave Draco Malfoy a blank look.

"What kind of joke do you think you're trying to pull?" Malfoy asked snidely. Harry sighed.

"I wish it was a joke Malfoy," he replied bitterly, before turning back to his food.

"Hey! I'm talking to you Potter," was Malfoy's indignant response.

"Silence Mr Malfoy!" Dumbledore called from his place in the centre of the staff table, his voice cutting through the silence that Harry and Draco's interaction had caused.

"There is no mistake Mr Malfoy," Dumbledore continued calmly. "Since you all seem dying to know," he addressed the students, "Due to issues with school records, Mr Potter had to be resorted. The Sorting Hat has chosen Slytherin for the most appropriate House for Mr Potter. I am sure he will prove a credit to his new House." Dumbledore finished before sitting back in his chair.

The Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and even the Ravenclaw tables were entrenched in the talking of student's, no doubt about the latest piece of news Dumbledore had thrown their way. The Slytherins were oddly quiet, hopefully gobsmacked but most likely saving their words for the common room. The common room they now shared. The remainder of dinner was uneventful for Harry and the green and silver procession to the dungeon gave him a wide berth. The prefects demonstrated to the first years how to enter the portrait as well as the current password, which was ironically "Basilisk."

The Slytherin common room was almost identical to the Gryffindor one, albeit with green and silver replacing the red and gold. Despite the similarities the room did not offer the feeling of home its Gryffindor counterpart did, although that may be the result of how Harry felt about the room or how the people in the room felt about him. Snape appeared before any confrontation had a chance to occur.

"Second years and up can go to their rooms. First years stay here. You as well Potter," Snape announced. The students older than eleven obeyed and went to their rooms, although wether to sleep or plot his demise Harry was unsure.

"You are all now a part of the noble House of Slytherin. This means that you value a cunning nature or in the case of some," he looked at Harry, "it simply outweighs your other meagre values. Unlike other Houses, you are expected to act mature so as not to tarnish the reputation of the House. I will not have my snakes acting out of line. Just because we value ambition and cunning does not mean you can disregard values the other houses stand for. You will be loyal to your fellow Slytherins and you will pursue knowledge. You will keep your petty squabbles confined to the common room and be the best of friends outside it. I emphasise this to any student in the room with more than a year of magical education." Snape once again looked at Harry as he said this. "Now go to your rooms."

Harry managed to find his room, the door even had his name on it, and locked himself in for the night. The room was simple. It had the same style bed as his old room, only the colours changing, a desk, a cupboard for his clothing and a bathroom to the side. Feeling tired from the events of the night he changed out of his robes and lay down on his bed. He soon managed to banish all thoughts from his mind and sleep.

**Author's Note:**

**The general idea behind this story is how Harry copes with being a Slytherin and how he influences those around him, both in and out of his House. A lot of stuff happens in Fifth year; with Umbridge and the Inquisitorial Squad, comprised of Slytherins (whom Harry will gradually integrate with and even befriend) so will their actions falter or change?Aand will Dumbledore's Army even be formed now that Harry is a Slytherin? Will anyone be willing to learn from a Slytherin? And Draco becomes a Death Eater between Fifth and Sixth year, so how will he and Harry's tentative friendship and support affect his decision and mission? **

**Before I get anyone saying Harry is whiny or weak, just understand that he is worried about losing his friends and being near a lot of people who he believes hates him. This attitude most likely won't appear anymore now that the secret is out.**

**With this story there will be no bashing, at least not very much outside of canon. Ron will have his moments early on but nothing much different than in the Goblet of Fire. Malfoy will be a dick for a bit, and Snape may seem like that as well, but the whole point of the story is how Harry gradually integrates with people who he has had a pretty bad connection with.**

**In regards to pairings, nothing is certain. I am heavily thinking a Slytherin girl (like Daphne Greengrass, Pansy Parkinson or Tracey Davis) but nothing is absolute except for the fact that it will be a straight pairing. Nothing against slash, I am just not a fan of reading (let alone writing). Also it will not be a harem, soul bond or marriage contract or any other of those sort of common tropes.**

**If you have any questions (although I have no idea how that could be yet :P) just send me a PM. Hopefully the next chapter will be out in a few days, a week at most.**

**Feel free to review, favourite and follow :D **


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